The Top 10 Worst Food Ingredients (Things to Avoid)
Underground Health Reporter
Here are the top 10 “worst of the worst” food ingredients in our opinion (not necessarily ranked in order of the harm they do)…
10 Worst Food Ingredient List:
1. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
WHAT IT IS: MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor-enhancer in processed foods (one of the most common food additives).
WHY IT’S BAD: It’s an known excitotoxin, which is a neurotoxic chemical
additive shown to harm nerve cells— overexciting them, sometimes to the
point of cell death. Regularly consuming excitotoxins like MSG destroys
significant numbers of brain cells and can lead to serious health
problems, including neurological disorders. (The two other common
excitotoxins used in food are aspartic acid (found in aspartame) and
l-cysteine, which is used as a dough conditioner.) In addition, regular
consumption of MSG has been shown to stimulate the appetite and
contribute to weight gain and obesity.
AKA: MSG goes by several
aliases, such as Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant
Protein, Vegetable Protein Extract, Yeast Extract, Glutamate, Glutamic
Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Textured Protein, Soy Protein Isolates, Barley
Malt, Calcium Caseinate and Malt Extract.
IT’S FOUND IN:
Processed foods like salad dressings, low-fat yogurt, canned meats,
frozen entrees, potato chips, canned soups (including Campbell’s
Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup), and flavored crackers (like Wheat Thins,
Cheez-Its and Triscuits).
2. Aspartame
WHAT IT IS: One of the most widely-used artificial sweeteners.
WHY IT’S BAD: Like MSG, aspartame is an excitotoxin. It also is
believed to be carcinogenic, and produces neurotoxic effects such as
headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
Aspartame contains 10-percent methanol, which is shown to be broken
down by the body into the toxic by-products formic acid and
formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is considered to be a potent nerve toxin and
carcinogen, which may explain why aspartame accounts for more reports to
the FDA of adverse reactions than all other foods and food additives
combined.
AKA: NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, Spoonful, Natrataste, AminoSweet, plus others.
IT’S FOUND IN: Over 6,000 products contain it, including diet and
sugar-free sodas and drinks, sugar-free chewing gum, yogurt, breath
mints, instant breakfasts, frozen desserts, juice beverages, and
gelatins.
AVOID ITS PALS: Splenda (Sucralose), Sweet ‘n’ Low (saccharine)
3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
WHAT IT IS: This is a highly-refined sweetener in which corn starch is
separated from the corn kernel. The corn starch is then converted into
corn syrup through a process called acid hydrolysis.
WHY IT’S
BAD: Nearly all HFCS is made from genetically-modified corn. It is the
number-one source of calories in the US diet, and has been shown to
contribute to weight gain and the development of diabetes.
HFCS
also is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, arthritis,
insulin resistance, and elevated triglycerides and raised LDL
cholesterol. In 2009, the Environmental Health Journal reported that a
study conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy found
mercury in 9 of 20 samples of commercial HFCS. The HFCS came from 3
different manufacturers including popular brands such as Quaker, Hunts,
Kraft, Yoplait, Nutri-Grain, and Smuckers. Mercury is a heavy metal and
is considered a potent brain toxin. The presence of mercury-contaminated
caustic soda in the production of HFCS is common.
AKA: Corn sugar, glucose/fructose (syrup), high-fructose maize syrup inulin, iso-glucose, and fruit fructose.
IT’S FOUND IN: Soda, salad dressings, breads, cereals, yogurt, soups,
lunch meats, pizza sauce and condiments. On average, Americans consume
12 teaspoons of HFCS per day.
4. Agave Nectar
WHAT IT IS:
This highly-processed sweetener is derived from the agave (cactus)
plant. Most agave sold in the US comes from Mexico.
WHY IT’S
BAD: Many consumers believe agave syrup is a healthful sweetener, but
it’s anything but. Agave nectar contains the highest amount of fructose
(55-97%) among all the commercial sweeteners, including HFCS (which
averages 55% fructose).
Fructose has been shown to increase
insulin resistance, the precursor to Type 2 diabetes. It is mainly
broken down in the liver and then converted to fat. Excessive fructose,
when consumed in quantities greater than 25 grams a day, has been shown
to elevate uric acid levels, which causes chronic, low level
inflammation throughout the body. It is also a main cause of fatty liver
disease.
Fructose consumption also leads to weight gain, elevated blood sugar and triglycerides, plus high blood pressure.
AKA: Agave Syrup
IT’S FOUND IN: Ice cream, energy bars and cereals, ketchup and other sauces. Agave is also sold as a stand-alone sweetener.
5. Artificial Food Coloring
WHAT IT IS: If your food isn’t naturally colorful, these additives tint them much like the dyes that color clothing.
WHY IT’S BAD: Artificial food dyes were originally synthesized from
coal tar — and now they are derived from petroleum. They have long been
controversial, and are one of the most widely used additives in food
products today. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse
effects on laboratory animals. Studies have confirmed that nine dyes
currently approved for use in the US raise the following health
concerns.
According to the Center for Science in the Public
Interest’s (CSPI) study on food dyes, “The three most widely used dyes,
Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, are contaminated with known carcinogens.
Another dye, Red 3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and
Drug Administration to be a carcinogen, yet it is still in the food
supply.” CPSI further reports that these nine food dyes are linked to
health issues ranging from cancer and hyperactivity to allergy-like
reactions.
A large-scale British government study (published in
2007in the UK medical journal Lancet) found that a variety of common
food dyes, as well as the preservative sodium benzoate, increased
hyperactivity and decreased the attention spans of children. These
additives were shown to adversely affect children with attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along with children having no prior
history of behavior problems.
The European Union (EU) has put
labeling regulations in place to inform consumers of the health risks,
but the US has failed to follow suit.
AKA: Caramel color,
FD&C Blue #1, Brilliant Blue FCF, Bright blue, Blue # 2, Ingtotine,
Royal Blue, Red Number 3, Erythrosine, FD&C Red No.40, Allura Red
AC, Yellow 5 and 6, FD&C Green Number 3, Fast Green, Sea Green, to
name a few.
IT’S FOUND IN: Beverages, candy, baked goods,
cereal, energy bars, puddings, jams, bread, macaroni and cheese, deli
meat, frostings, condiments, fast food, ice cream, sherbet, sorbet, plus
meat and fish (to make them appear “fresher”).
6. BHA and BHT
WHAT IT IS: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated
hydrozyttoluene (BHT) are preservatives used in many foods to prevent
oxidation and extend shelf life.
WHY IT’S BAD: BHA and BHT are
oxidants, which have been shown to form potentially cancer-causing
reactive compounds in the body. The International Agency for Research on
Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, considers BHA to be
possibly carcinogenic to humans, and the State of California has listed
it as a known carcinogen.
WHERE IT’S FOUND:In packaging
materials, cereals, sausage, hot dogs, meat patties, chewing gum, potato
chips, beer, butter, vegetable oils, cosmetics, and animal feed.
7. Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate
WHAT THEY ARE: These two closely-related chemicals are used to preserve meat.
WHY THEY’RE BAD: When added to meat, the nitrates are readily converted
to nitrosamines, which are associated with an increased risk of certain
types of cancers. This chemical reaction occurs most readily at the
high temperatures. In a 2007 analysis, The World Cancer Research Fund
revealed that eating 1.8 ounces of processed meat every day increases
your cancer risk by 20%.
AKA: Soda niter, Chile saltpeter
THEY’RE FOUND IN: Cured meats, bacon, ham, salami, corned beef and hot
dogs, pate, pickled pig’s feet, canned meat (Vienna sausages, deviled
ham), smoked salmon, dried fish, jerky.
8. Potassium Bromate
WHAT IT IS: A form of bromide, it is used as an additive to increase the volume in some breads, rolls, and flours.
WHY IT’S BAD: It has been shown to cause cancer in animals and is
banned in the EU, Canada, and several other countries. The FDA, since
1991, has requested that bakers voluntarily stop using it. It is rarely
used in California because a cancer warning is required on the label.
Bromide is considered to be an endocrine disruptor.
AKA: Bromic acid, potassium salt, bromated flour, “enriched flour.”
IT’S FOUND IN: Most commercial baked goods in the US, including Wonder
Bread, Sunbeam, Home Pride (but not in Pepperidge Farm, Arnold,
Entenmann’s, and Orowheat brands). It’s also common in flour, and occurs
in some toothpaste and mouthwash brands as an antiseptic.
9. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)
WHAT IT IS: Produced by Monsanto, rBGH is a genetically-engineered
version of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. It is used to
boost milk production in dairy cows.
WHY IT’S BAD: “rBGH milk”
contains high levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), excess
levels of which have been implicated as major causes of breast, colon
and prostate cancers. rBGH milk is not required to be labeled.
Giving cows rBGH has been shown to increase the incidence of mastitis.
When a cow has mastitis, pus and blood are secreted into the milk. It
also leads to antibiotic resistance, which is tied to the spread of
virulent staph infections such as MRSA. Hormones in food have also been
linked to the onset of early puberty for girls.
Consumer
feedback spurred such megabrands as Dannon and General Mills, and the
supermarket chains Wal-Mart, Starbucks, and Publix to phase out products
with hormones rBST and rBGH.
AKA: Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST).
IT’S FOUND IN: All dairy products that aren’t specifically labeled “No rGBH or rBST.”
10. Refined Vegetable Oil
WHAT IT IS: There are many different kinds of commercially-refined
vegetable oils, including soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, canola
oil, and peanut oil.
WHY IT’S BAD: Refined cooking oils are
made by intensive mechanical and chemical processes that extract the oil
from the seeds. The refining process also utilizes chemical solvents
and high temperatures. The oils are then typically deodorized and
bleached. This process removes the natural vitamins and minerals from
the seeds and creates a product that has been shown to become rancid and
oxidize easily, causing free radical formation.
These oils are
also high in Omega-6 fatty acid, which is inflammatory and neutralizes
the benefits of Omega-3s in your diet. The oxidation effect has been
shown to contribute to inflammation in the body, DNA damage elevated
blood triglycerides, and impaired insulin response. Additionally, many
refined vegetable oils are hydrogenated. This process creates trans
fatty acids, which are known to contribute to heart disease and some
cancers.
IT’S FOUND IN: Many, if not most, processed foods such
as crackers, granola bars, and baked goods use these vegetable oils.
They also are popular as stand-alone products (i.e., cooking oils and
margarines).
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)